God That's Good
by FurySaidtoaMouse
Summary: Emma was excited about her part in the school musical. That is, until she saw who her costar would be.
1. The Audition

**Hey everyone! So I'm writing this based off of this Tumblr prompt. "drama school rivals being cast as romantic opposites because the have 'crazy sexual tension' according to their director AU." I've taken some liberties with it, but that's basically the idea. This is a Captain Swan story with Scarlet Beauty and a lot of Killian/Belle friendship (because I think their friendship is really cute.) Enjoy!**

Emma Swan sat nervously outside the auditorium, reviewing her sheet music. Her audition was in ten minutes. She took a sip from her water bottle. It was her last year in the drama club, and she really wanted to get a good part. Especially since it was one of her all-time favorite musicals: Sweeney Todd. She'd picked her best audition song and was pretty confident in her chances. Now she had to wait.

* * *

On the other side of the room, Belle French was twisting her hands, equally as nervous. It was her first audition. "Don't worry love, you'll do fine." Her best friend, Killian Jones, assured her.

"Why did I let you talk me into this? I have no idea what I'm doing." She sighed.

"Just relax. You've got a great voice. You're sure to get in." A woman came out and called Belle's name. "Go ahead. Break a leg, love." Belle sent him one last smile before going in. Killian grinned back, leaning his head on the wall. He didn't get nervous, or at least didn't show it. Glancing at his audition sheet, he looked around the room. There was the usual crowd, and a few newcomers. After four years in drama club he practically knew everyone. Then he saw her: Emma Swan.

To say Emma Swan and Killian Jones didn't get along would be the understatement of the century. They'd had a rivalry that went back to their freshman year. Nobody knew exactly why it had started, just that it got worse and worse every year. They had butted heads several times over the years.

Killian was shaken from his thoughts by the auditorium door opening. Belle shot him a thumbs-up. Killian grinned and stood up. It was his turn. He went in, exchanged pleasantries with the director, hopped up on stage and did his singing audition. When it was done, he thanked everyone for their time, and started for the door. As he was walking out, a familiar blonde was walking in.

"Swan," he acknowledged.

"Jones," she muttered.

"Break a leg,"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She glared. Killian winked in response. (He knew how much she hated when he did that.) Emma just rolled her eyes and continued.

After what seemed like ages, she left the audition room. It had gone well, but she didn't have time to think of that. Next was the dance audition. The choreographer was holding the dance auditions in a different room. People went in in groups. Emma got to the room where the short combination was being taught. She didn't really see why this show needed a dance audition, but whatever. She was in a small group, mainly of new kids. The choreographer showed them the dance and had them practice it. The director would come in and watch them later. Emma smiled at the kid next to her who seemed to be struggling. "Hi, I'm Emma."

"Henry." They tried to dance and talk at the same time.

"This your first show?" Emma asked. Henry nodded. "Here, don't look at your feet. And remember to smile. She's always watching. Trust me."

"Less talking more dancing, Miss Swan." The choreographer piped up.

"Yes Ms. Bell." Emma rolled her eyes. "She's harmless I swear. Just don't get on her bad side." The music stopped. Ms. Bell thanked them for their time and dismissed them.

"Thanks for your help." Henry said to Emma.

"Anytime. Maybe I'll see you around." Emma got her stuff. It was already dark outside; they were the last group. As Emma got to the car, a wave of nervousness came over her. What if she did a terrible job? What if she got cut? "Well, it doesn't matter now," Emma thought to herself, "what's done is done. Now we wait."

* * *

The cast list went up on the auditorium door the next Friday. Belle and Killian went together to look at it.

"I can't look." Killian covered his eyes and stood back.

"Don't be such a drama queen." Belle teased.

"I'm a drama king, thank you very much. Read it to me. What did you get?"

She read off the list. "I'm… Johanna. Is that good?"

"Belle, that's the second biggest female part! I told you it would go well." He hugged her. "Who's playing Anthony?"

She turned back to the list. "Will Scarlet. Why?" Killian gave her a sly smile. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Oh nothing. Am I on the list?"

"See for yourself." Belle took a step back. Killian looked at the list. His eyes lit up and he smiled in disbelief. Belle giggled as he picked her up and spun her around. "I take it you're happy then?"

"Of course! It's better than I expected!" Killian grinned. "Let's go celebrate!" They walked down the hallway together.

Emma approached the list a few minutes after they'd left. Ignoring everything else, she scanned the page for her name. There it was. Next to Mrs. Lovett. She breathed a sigh of relief, now looking at the list to see who else was in the thought the director had done a great job casting. Then her face fell. "Are you kidding me?" she groaned. She looked again to see if she misread, but there it was.

Killian Jones as Sweeney Todd.


	2. Meetings and Movies

**Hi everyone! Thanks to all of you who have favorited/followed/reviewed this story so far. I've outlined the chapters and downloaded the libretto, so we're ready to go! A quick note: it occurs to me that some of you reading aren't familiar with Sweeney Todd. You don't have to know the show to get this story, but if you wanted to see the play/movie without spoilers, go see it and come back to this story later (warning: it's dark and violent). That being said, on with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor the musical they are performing. **

"Alright! Welcome to the cast of Sweeney Todd!" The director shouted to the cheering teenagers. "A lot of you are new, so I'm going to go over the basics. My name is Ms. Lucas, but you can call me Ruby. Our choreographer is Ms. Bell, and our stage manager is Elsa. She may be a student, but I expect you all to listen to her and be respectful. We rehearse two or three times a week until right before the show, when things will get more intense. I'll send out a schedule at the beginning of each week to let you know when you will be needed."

"Now," Emma looked up because Ruby had finished her usual opening speech. "because it's never too early for some cast bonding, we're going to have a screening of the movie version of Sweeney Todd here in the auditorium on Saturday. Attendance isn't mandatory, but it's highly encouraged." She looked at her watch. "That's about it for now. Before you leave, go to the table over there and pick up your scripts. Thank you all for coming." The cast got up and started heading to the table. Emma took this time to approach the director. "Hey, Emma! Congratulations on your role."

"Thanks, Ruby." She forced a smile. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Does this something have dark hair and the other leading role?" Ruby asked. Emma nodded. "I figured. Look, I know you too don't really get along…" Emma snorted. "but it's going to be fine. You're both really talented and will be great in the show."

"It's not the show I'm worried about, it's both of us making it out alive."

"Well, you won't, Emma. Haven't you seen Sweeney Todd?" Ruby's quip was met with an eye roll. "Seriously though, I have a lot of faith in the both of you. Besides," she smirked, "might as well put all that sexual tension you two have built up the past few years to good use."

"The what?!" Emma's eyes widened. "We don't have… It's just...You can't really think…"

"Whatever you say Ems. I call it like I see it." Ruby held up her hands. "Go get your script. We'll talk later." Emma nodded, beginning to walk away. "Oh, and Emma?"

"Yeah?" She turned around.

"I really am glad you're going to be in the show." Ruby smiled. Emma grinned back, then continued to the script table.

* * *

"Belle! Come over here! I want you to meet someone." Killian shouted over to her. She walked over to Killian and another boy. "Belle, this is Will Scarlet. Will, this is Belle."

"Nice to meet you." Belle smiled politely.

"Likewise." Will replied. "I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other these next few weeks."

"Most likely. Have you been in the other shows? I think I might've seen you before."

"Yeah, I joined the club last year." Will shrugged. "Is this your first show?"

Belle nodded. Killian laughed. "I finally talked her into joining the dark side." He joked.

"We're happy to have her." Will said.

"Happy to be here." Belle looked at her phone. "I'm sorry, my dad's here. I have to go. Killian do you need a ride?"

"No love, Liam's coming for me."

"Alright. I'll see you both tomorrow then. It was nice meeting you, Will." Belle hugged Killian, waved at Will, then headed for the auditorium doors.

"You too." Will called after her. He turned to Killian. "So that's your girlfriend?"

Killian shook his head. "No. We're just friends. She's practically my little sister."

"I see." Will hid a smile. "You know, she doesn't seem like the getting onstage type."

"She isn't really, but she's really talented and wanted to give this a try, so here we are." He shrugged. His phone rang. "That would be Liam. I've got to go."

Will nodded. "See ya around, mate."

* * *

"It won't be so bad,"

"So bad? Elsa, we're going to be spending like six hours together a week! I'm going to go crazy." The two were sitting on the couch at Emma's house, killing time before movie night.

"Just don't put those props to use. We're renting and I don't want real blood on fake knives."

"Anything for you." Emma teased. She knew that Elsa was incredibly protective of the props. Her mood was improved. Elsa always knew what to say to make her feel better.

"Look on the bright side. He's pretty cute."

Emma smacked her friend's arm. "Elsa!"

"I'm just saying." She shrugged. "You can't tell me I'm wrong."

"I'm too distracted by his massive ego to notice." Emma scoffed. "Ruby said that she thinks we have sexual tension. Can you believe that?" Elsa looked like she was going to say something, then hesitated. "What?"

"Can you promise not to hit me?"

"Elsa…"

"She's kind of right. Everyone thinks so."

Emma's jaw dropped. "Everyone?" Elsa nodded. "Oh my god." She buried her face in her hands.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing. Heck, it could come in handy in this show."

The front door opened. Emma's foster mom, Mrs. Nolan, came in. "Hi girls!"

"Hi Mrs. Nolan" Elsa smiled.

"Do you girls need anything?" They shook their heads. "What time is your movie?"

"7:30." Emma answered.

"You'll be home by 10?"

"Probably."

"Okay. You'll call if something changes?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mary Margaret."

"I'm just looking out for you honey. I'm going to make dinner now. Elsa are you staying to eat?"

"If you don't mind." Elsa replied.

"You're always welcome here. Bye girls." Mrs. Nolan went into the kitchen.

* * *

Movie night had an excellent turnout. All of the cast and most of the members of tech had shown up. Ruby and Ms. Bell set up a snack table, making sure everyone was set before they started the movie. The lights went down, and Ruby turned the projector on. Emma and Elsa sat in the back. Killian and Belle were off in a corner. Belle had never seen the movie before.

Within two minutes of the movie, people were already commenting to each other.

"Are you going to do that to your hair?" Belle teased Killian.

"Maybe."

"Hey Emma, you don't even need to wear makeup to look like that. We just won't give you caffeine the week before the show!"

"Shut up Elsa."

About halfway through, Belle turned to her friend. "This is a bit dark for a school play, isn't it?"

"It's not that bad." Killian said as the Sweeney on screen killed another man. Belle pointed at the movie. He shrugged. "So you may have a point. But the music is beautiful, you have to admit."

"Gah! I can't look." Elsa hid behind her hands.

"It's just fake blood. Don't worry." Emma chided. "If you're like this during the movie, what'll you be like during the show?"

"Who says I was going to pay attention aside from scene changes?"

"Quiet back there!" A voice snapped. Elsa slid lower in her seat. Emma giggled.

At the end of the movie, the group of teenagers cleaned up and went outside. Emma and Elsa stood by the parking lot, chatting. Suddenly, something crashed into Emma. She turned around, annoyed. Killian Jones looked down at her, still too close for comfort.

"Watch where you're going Jones." She glared.

"Swan, always a pleasure." He smirked. They locked eyes.

"Killian, are you ready to go?" Belle came out the auditorium door. Killian turned to look at her.

"Yeah, just about." He replied. "Until next time, Swan." He strode away.

Emma huffed. "Who does he think he is?" she started towards her car. Elsa followed, shaking her head. This show was going to be one interesting production.


	3. Favor me with your glance

"Hi Belle." Ruby greeted her as she came in. Will was already standing by the piano.

"Hello. Am I late?"

"No, Will's just early. Sorry we can't be in the auditorium today. They need it for a meeting. But the choir room will be just fine." She handed Belle some sheet music. "Today we're doing the songs when your characters first meet. Have you listened to it?"

"Yes. It's really high." Belle said.

"Don't worry; we're bringing it down a little bit. Not too much, but it'll be easier." Will watched as Belle visibly relaxed. Ruby gestured to the elderly woman at the piano bench. "This is Granny. She plays piano for us."

"Ready when you are." Granny smiled.

"Okay." Belle replied. Will and Ruby pulled chairs over. Granny started playing, slowing down the song so Belle could learn it."_Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird/ How is it you sing?..." _She sang quietly. Granny gave her an encouraging nod. Belle got a little louder for the next few lines. Will and Ruby listened. Will was in awe. Belle sounded beautiful. He couldn't believe she hadn't been part of a show before. As the song progressed, Belle became more at ease. She sang through the song, exhaling in relief when it was over. Will and Ruby clapped.

"Good job girl. We'll fine tune it next time." Granny said. Belle nodded.

"Your turn, Will." Ruby smiled. He nodded and stepped closer to the piano. He leaned his arm on the side of the instrument. Unlike Belle, he'd done this plenty of times before. He wan't nervous.

Granny started playing. She counted, cueing him in. He fumbled with the first couple lines, but eventually got it. He glanced over at Belle, who had taken a seat. The sun was coming in through the window, reflecting off of her hair. When their eyes met, she gave him a small smile. He smiled back, almost missing his lines again. "_Lady look at me look at me miss oh look at me please/ oh favor me favor me with your glance/ Ah, miss…"_

Belle listened to Will as he sang. He was really good, she noted. He kept glancing over at her and Ruby. Belle was curious as to why, but she didn't think to much about it.

"Belle, could you come here? You sing this next part too," Granny got her attention. Belle came over, standing across from Will. Granny was explaining how their parts were going to overlap each other. Will was tapping out a rhythm on the piano. The two of them spoke out their parts, Granny clapping a rhythm for them. "Alright, I think you've got it. Let's try with music." She gave them a few measures of introduction, then cued them in. Will and Belle sang their respective parts. They made sure to listen to each other.

"That was great, guys." Ruby clapped her hands. "We've got another ten minutes before your time is over. Will, can you stick around? I want to go over 'Johanna' really fast." Will nodded. "Belle, you're free to go."

"Okay. Thank you." Belle said. She picked up her bag and smiled. "Bye Will."

"Bye." was all he could say in response. Belle left the room. Will shook his head and turned back to Granny. She eyed him suspiciously, but started playing the intro. _"I feel you, Johanna, I feel you" _As Will sang, he wasn't thinking about the show. He was thinking about his beautiful cast mate. "Get it together, Will." He told himself. But no matter what he did, Will couldn't seem to get Belle out of his head.


	4. Group rehearsal

**Hi everyone! Sorry it's been a while since an update. I've had that crazy end-of-year school stuff going on. This chapter's kind of a filler, but more chapters should be coming soon!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time, nor do I own Sweeney Todd**

Killian and Belle continued their argument as they entered the auditorium. Belle said, "I'm just saying. Her name's Mrs. Lovett, but what happened to Mr. Lovett?"

"He died of gout."

"When do they say that?"

"In the bloody script!"

"She may say that, but she got that 'bake the bodies into pie' idea pretty quickly, if you ask me." Belle folded her arms.

"You're impossible." Killian rolled his eyes.

"You're just saying that because you can't admit I'm right."

"In your dreams, French." Killian scoffed. "Hey, did you notice that this is our first rehearsal together?"

"You were supposed to be here on Monday."

"I had a dentist appointment!"

"Excuses, excuses," Belle chided. "What are we singing today?"

"'The Ballad of Sweeney Todd'. Ruby's assigned the solos."

"Okay guys, let's get going." Ruby directed. "Sopranos on the far left. Then altos, tenors, and bases."

The entire cast gathered around the piano for the first group rehearsal. Emma stood at the front of the altos. Killian glanced at her. In the first few weeks of rehearsal, there hadn't been a rehearsal where she hadn't yelled at him. Sometimes he intentionally pushed her buttons, but most of the time it was for nothing. He just couldn't understand what her problem was.

Belle took a place with the other sopranos. Killian came over and stood next to her. She raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to stand with people singing the same part?"

"Belle, when have I ever listened to the rules?" He replied. She shrugged. He had a point. Belle also noticed the way Emma was glaring at him. She had made it a point to stay out of their feud, so she didn't say anything to Killian.

Ruby handed out sheet music for the opening song. "The soloists' names are written on the music. Be prepared to sing. Alright Granny, whenever you're ready." Granny started in playing the introduction. Belle followed along on the music with her finger. She could've sworn Killian had muttered "nerd" before covering it with a cough. Different members of the cast sang. Belle was surprised to see that she'd gotten a quick solo. Throughout the entire song, Killian had been nudging her shoulder and making weird faces.

Killian was so busy trying to mess Belle up that he almost forgot to sing his own part. Belle elbowed him in the ribs. His eyes widened and he sang. "_Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd_" The chorus repeated. "_He served a dark and a vengeful god_." Another repetition. "_And after that, well that's the play, and he wouldn't want us to give it away. Not Sweeney, not Sweeney Todd. The demon barber of Fleet Street_." Even standing by the piano he looked like he was performing on stage, a devilish smile on his face.

The cast finished up the song. Ruby clapped. "That was a great first run, guys. Take five."

* * *

Elsa could see the entire cast from where she was working on the set. Even standing a good distance from each other, Killian and Emma frowned every time they made eye contact. Elsa bit back a smile. Those two were so stubborn. It was really entertaining to watch. She heard the song end for a break. Emma moved from the piano to the stage. "What do you want to eat? Should I order pizza?"

"Not until after rehearsal." Elsa said.

"I know. We have to run through the song a couple more times, and Ruby wants me to sing through 'Worst Pies in London' before we leave." Emma sat down. "I'm just planning ahead."

"I see."

"So how's the set going?" Emma asked. She glanced around at the cluttered stage.

"We have a layout, and I know what we're going to do. We'll get there." Emma was impressed by how confident Elsa sounded. She was normally pretty worried about making the perfect set. "How's working with Killian?"

Emma gave her best friend a death glare. "Don't get me started."

"Ooooh, am I going to hear a rant later?" Elsa teased.

Just as Emma was about to fire back, Killian and Belle walked by. "Hi Elsa!" Belle greeted.

"Hey Belle." Elsa smiled. Both of them noticed that Emma and Killian would look pretty much anywhere but at each other. "You sounded really great just now."

Belle blushed. "Thanks. The set looks great."

"Just wait 'til it's finished." It was plain to see that Elsa was really excited about the set. The conversation died after that. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments until Ruby called all the actors back to the piano. "You three should get back. I don't want to incur the wrath of Ruby."

Killian and Emma turned to go. They climbed over the piles of wood and power tools that Elsa and the stage crew had left out. They occasionally bumped into each other, little comments like "walk much?" and "watch where you're going" following close behind.

Belle glanced at Elsa. "What are we going to do with those two?"

"Beats me." Elsa smirked. "Have you ever noticed that they seem like an old married couple when they're together?"

Belle laughed. "Don't tell them that. They'd kill you."

"Like they could. I've got the power tools." She held up a drill to prove her point.

Ruby shouted at all the performers who hadn't come to the piano. Belle looked over. "Sounds like I'm being summoned. It was good talking to you." Elsa smiled at Belle as they both returned to their work.


	5. It Takes Two

Emma was ready to pound her head against the wall. They were working on "A Little Priest" that afternoon. Killian was late, and since they were the only two characters in the scene, nothing could get done without him. She was about to complain to Ruby again when the auditorium door opened. In came Killian, a smile on his face.

"Hello everyone," he greeted.

"Finally." Emma muttered before she could think.

Killian's eyebrow shot up. "Did you miss me, Swan? I knew I was growing on you."

"Oh, please-"

"Let's just start the number, guys." Ms. Bell interrupted. She didn't want them to start fighting before they got anything finished.

Ruby nodded. "She's right. We're already behind schedule. Get on stage, you two."

Emma and Killian climbed onto the stage as Ms. Bell started talking them through the song. They'd already sang through the song with Granny before, so they could immediately start learning choreography. Emma frowned as she thought about how close she'd be standing next to Killian for some parts of this song.

* * *

An hour later, they had almost the entire scene choreographed. Emma had to admit, it looked pretty good. Her and Killian hadn't even fought that much during rehearsal.

"It looks great! Let's start working on the final verse." Ruby called from her seat in the audience.

Ms. Bell stood in front of her actors. "So during this part, you two are going to waltz. Do either of you know anything about ballroom dancing?"

Emma shook her head. Killian nodded. "I do."

_Of course he does. _Emma thought to herself.

"Excellent. You'll have to lead anyway. Emma, you're going to put your hand on his shoulder. Good. Now Killian, put your hand on her waist." The actors did as they were told, although Emma showed a lot of reluctance. She wasn't big on standing this close to anyone, let alone Killian Jones. "Perfect. Let's do a few practice steps. One, two three One, two three" They tried to waltz. Emma kept bumping into him.

"Just let me lead, Swan." Killian muttered over Ms. Bell's counting.

"I'm trying!" Emma snapped. They glared at each other and continued.

"Stop making those faces!" Ruby called out.

"And loosen up a little," Ms. Bell instructed.

"Okay," Emma shouted back. "Come on, the sooner we do this, the sooner it can be over." She muttered to Killian.

"Just smile and act like you're in love with me. It can't be that difficult." He grinned smugly. Emma stepped on his foot. He winced. She smirked a little. Killian grit his teeth. "Then again, maybe not."

"Sorry," She batted her eyes, feigning innocence. He just glared at her. What was this girl's problem?

"That's enough; I think you've got it." Ms. Bell said. Emma sighed in relief, and tried to step back. Killian wouldn't let go though.

"What the hell, Jones?"

"Look, love, I know we aren't the best of friends but we need to find a way to get along if we don't want this show to be a disaster." He whispered harshly.

"Fine. You can start by letting me go." She shot back. He obliged."And don't call me 'love.'"

_Because you're incapable of feeling it for anything?_

"Thank you. What's next, Ms. Bell?" Emma asked.

"Well, that's pretty much what you're doing until the end of the song. But you are going to be moving around the stage. At the end note, you'll break apart, raise your arms, and end in a dramatic pose."

"Okay guys, that's it for today. Next time we're working on the end scene." Ruby told them.

"Looking forward to killing you, Swan." Killian muttered. Emma scowled at him.

As they walked out of the auditorium, Ruby and Ms. Bell shared a look. The door shut, and the two women turned to each other. "'It'll be fine' you said. 'They'll sort out they're differences in no time' you said." Ms. Bell impersonated Ruby.

"I know it's not going as smoothly as we hoped."

"It's not going smoothly at all! This was your idea, Ruby. We need this to work out."

"Ok, you need to calm down. I say we give them a few more chances."

Ms. Bell sighed. "Alright. I'll trust you on this."

"Thank you." Ruby's phone went off. "Oh! That's Victor. Gotta go." She picked up her stuff. Ms. Bell shouldered her bag and headed for the door. She saw Killian leaning against the wall.

"Have a good night, Ms. Bell." He nodded politely.

"Thank you, Killian, you too." She replied. "And be ready to work next rehearsal."

"Always. And I promise to try to work better with Emma. I know you and Ruby are concerned."

"I wouldn't say-"

"Sound travels really well in that auditorium." Killian said pointedly.

Ms. Bell looked down. "I'm sorry you heard that."

"It's fine. I'll really try. I promise." Killian smiled. "Now go home. You deserve a break."

"As do you. Is Liam going to be here soon?"

"Yeah, his class just got out."

"Alright." She smiled. "Bye, Killian."


	6. Not While I'm Around

"Hey kid," Emma greeted Henry. He rolled his eyes.

"Don't call me kid. You're not that much older than me."

Emma folded her arms. "Oh yeah? You're a freshman. I'm a senior. That's three years, buddy."

"Whatever."

"So how's freshman year treating you?"

Henry shrugged. "Pretty well."

Granny finished setting up her sheet music. "You kids ready?"

"Who's the kid now?" Henry muttered to Emma. She gave him a little shove.

"We're good, Granny." Emma smiled. Granny nodded. Her fingers touched the first few chords.

Henry immediately got into character. He was pretty good for a fourteen year old. "Nothing's gonna harm you/ Not while I'm around…" Emma listened as he sang the song, adding in her lines when necessary. They finished the song.

"Good job guys." Granny said. "Let's go again."

* * *

Emma walked out to the parking lot. She noticed Henry standing by himself. "Hey kid," she called. Henry looked up. "Need a ride?"

Henry smiled. "That'd be great, thanks." Emma nodded towards her car, and Henry followed. They threw their bags in the back of Emma's bug.

"You did really well today, kid."

"Thanks, you too."

"We're doing the next rehearsal with Killian, right?" Henry asked.

"I think so. Why?" They pulled out of the school parking lot.

Henry shrugged. "Just asking. He seems cool."

"Killian Jones?" Emma snorted.

"Why don't you guys like each other?" Henry asked. Emma opened her mouth to protest. "Don't tell me it's not true. I'm a freshman, not an idiot."

"It's a long story." Emma deflected.

"We've got time."

"Still don't want to talk about it."

"I'll find out eventually. Might as well be from you."

"You're a pain in the neck, you know that?"

"Come on Emma." Henry pleaded.

Emma sighed. "It's a personality thing."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, really! He's so full of himself. It's like he thinks he's the king." She turned onto Henry's street.

"But he's really a good person."

"If you say so kid." Emma stopped in front of his house. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Sure thing, Emma. Thanks for the ride." Henry grabbed his bag and walked to the door. He waved at Emma before going inside. Emma started driving away, shaken by her talk with Henry. She'd told him the truth. Her and Killian had always clashed, and it was mainly because of their personalities. The disagreements that had started years ago had just grown and grown. Emma shrugged and put those thoughts aside.

* * *

"Hey Killian?" Belle asked. They were studying at her house.

Killian looked up. "Yeah?"

"Why don't you and Emma get along?"

"Who said we didn't get along?"

Belle scoffed. "Anyone who's been in a three mile radius of you two." Killian rubbed a hand over his face. He knew they'd have to have this conversation at some stage. Belle's tone softened. "Come on, Killian. You can tell me anything. You know that."

"I know, it's just..." Killian started, "She and I had some disagreements freshman year."

"That's it? Are you kidding me?" Belle rolled her eyes. "The drama club lives in world war three because of a fight you had as _freshmen?_"

"Fights. Plural. They kept getting worse and worse. I think at this stage we're just beyond reconciliation."

"I don't believe that." Belle folded her arms.

"That's because you're a good person who wants to see the best in people." Killian responded before looking back at his textbook. Belle knew that the conversation was over. She sighed. Killian could be so stubborn.

* * *

Emma and Elsa were hanging out in the Nolans' kitchen while Mary Margaret made dinner. "Hey, so I know you hate Killian, but what's our stance on Belle? Can I talk to her?" Elsa asked.

Emma gave her a look. "Elsa, this isn't a war. You can be friends with whoever you want."

"Good, cause she's in my English class and I want to ask her for the notes." Emma scoffed.

"Seriously? You're asking me for permission to ask Belle for help in English?"

Mrs. Nolan leaned on the kitchen countertop. "So Elsa, tell me about this Killian guy. Is he cute?"

Emma's eyes widened. "Mary Margaret!"

"What? Can't I ask a simple question?" Mrs. Nolan looked at Elsa. "So...?" Elsa nodded with a sly smile. "I knew it! Why does Emma hate him?"

"You know, I'm really not sure. Everyone else thinks he's great, but for some reason those two-"

"I am right here." Emma deadpanned.

"Yeah, but you never give me any answers." Mrs. Nolan teased.

"And wait, why did you assume he was-" realization struck Emma. "Oh my god, really, Mary Margaret?"

Mrs. Nolan shrugged. "What? I was a teenager once, I know how this works."

"I don't have a crush on Killian."

Mrs. Nolan looked at Elsa. Elsa shrugged. "I believe her. But I'm pretty sure that Ruby thinks there's something going on there."

"Ok, this conversation is over." Emma gave both of them a pointed look. Mrs. Nolan and Elsa exchanged a glance before changing the subject. Emma sighed. What was with everybody today?


	7. Kiss Me

**I'm starting off by apologizing for the really long chapter. There's a lot going on and I didn't want to split it into two chapters. I'd also like to apologize for not updating as much as I should. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time, nor do I own Sweeney Todd.**

"I hate this song." Will said to Belle. It was the first time they were staging "Kiss Me". He glanced over at Belle. She looked distracted. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine." Belle shrugged, not really making eye contact. Will wasn't convinced, but he didn't say anything.

"Okay, guys?" Ms. Bell called from the audience. Next to her, Ruby was writing things down. "Are you ready?"

"Yes" Belle called back. Ms. Bell climbed up on the stage.

"Great! Your part of this scene takes place in Johanna's room. Belle, I think you're going to start the song by pacing. Will, go sit on the couch." They followed Ms. Bell's instructions. "So you'll be pacing while he's singing from there. On 'Is that a noise?' Will's going to stand up." She glanced at Will, raising an arm. "Stand up." He stood. "When she starts singing really fast, you kind of try to comfort her." The two didn't move. Ms. Bell sighed. "Come on, she doesn't bite." Will awkwardly put his arm around her. Belle's cheeks turned pink. "And then as 'Kiss me', Belle, you're going to put your hand on his shoulder. It's going to look like you two are about to kiss, but you don't. Not yet, anyway."

"Let's just do that far. I want to see how it looks." Ruby told them. Ms. Bell nodded. The actors got into position. Ms. Bell motioned to Granny, who started playing. Belle and Will immediately got in character.

"_He means to marry me Monday, what shall I do? I'd rather die"_

"_I have a plan"_

"_I'll swallow poison on Sunday, that's what I'll do, I'll get some lye"_

"_I have a plan" _Will stood up as Belle continued singing. He came closer, putting his hand on Belle's waist. She pretended not to notice, like her character was supposed to, but in reality it was all she could think about. Her singing picked up speed. Eventually Will cut her off with "_Kiss Me"_

"_Oh sir" _She put her hands on his shoulders. They stepped closer together.

"_Ah miss"_

"_Oh sir" _When he started to lean in, she turned away, starting her next part. The music died off.

Ruby smiled. Ms. Bell nodded, satisfied. "Good job guys. Here's what's next."

* * *

Granny played the final chords of the song. They had just finished running through most of the song a few times. The choreography had required a lot of invasion of personal space. At one stage Ms. Bell told them that Belle would be sitting on Will's lap; Will was worried Belle was about to pass out. He'd been paying close attention to her throughout rehearsal (well, he had to admit he always did that, but this time closer than usual), and she seemed really out of it. Almost like she was afraid.

"Belle, what's wrong?" Will followed her out of rehearsal.

"It's nothing. I'm sorry. See you on Friday." She forced a smile. When she tried to turn away, Will grabbed her wrist.

"Please. Tell me what's going on"

Belle sighed. "Look, it's not a big deal. It's just…"

"You're nervous about the kiss." He finished.

"Yeah."

Will led her to a nearby bench. "That's okay. A lot of people get nervous about stage kisses. It's totally normal."

"It's not because it's a stage kiss." Belle said, her eyes cast downward. "I've never kissed anyone before." She confessed.

"Really?" She nodded, her cheeks turning pink. Will suddenly understood why she had seemed anxious before rehearsal today. He didn't know how to help, but then came up with an idea.

"What are you doing Friday after rehearsal?" He asked.

"Nothing. Why?"

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?"

Belle stared at him, surprised. "On a date?" For a second, Will thought he'd screwed up everything, but it was too late to go back.

"Yeah. If I'm going to be your first kiss, I think we should get to know each other better." He stood up and offered her a hand. "What do you say?"

She took his hand. "Okay. I'll see you then." Belle smiled. She stood up. A car pulled up in front of the school. "That's my dad. I have to go. Goodbye!"

"Bye."

"And Will?" He looked at her. "Thanks." With a final smile, she went to the car.

* * *

Will picked Belle up from her house at 7. She opened the door, wearing a pretty blue dress. She smiled at him. "Hi."

"Hi." He stuttered. "You look great."

"Thanks. Shall we?" They went to Will's car. "So where are we going?"

"Is Granny's okay?"

Belle raised an eyebrow. "The same Granny that plays piano for the show?"

"The diner's her day job. She's a multifaceted woman, that Granny." Will turned on the car. The radio started blasting. Belle flinched. He jumped to fix the dial, laughing nervously. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." Belle said. Will looked at the road. _Well this is going to a great start. _He drove off.

* * *

Belle and Will sat in a booth at Granny's. Granny herself came over to hand them menus. "What are you two doing out together?" She sniffed. "And are you wearing cologne?"

"Can't two castmates hang out with each other on a Friday without raising suspicion?" Will said.

Granny looked at him skeptically. "We'll you've taken a shower, so we shouldn't complain I guess. I'll leave you kids be. Have a good night."

"Bye Granny." Belle smiled politely. Will exhaled in relief. "She seems to really like you." She commented.

"That's just Granny. She's not big on open displays of affection."

Belle giggled. "So if she runs a diner, why does she help with the school plays?"

"Ruby's her granddaughter." Will explained.

"So that's why everyone calls her that."

There was a silence as the two looked at the menu. A waitress came over and took their orders.

* * *

"So, tell me about yourself." Belle said.

"Ummm... what do you want to know?" Will stuttered. He mentally hit himself. Since when was he nervous around girls? He's the one who asked her out, for god's sake.

"Uh, what's your favorite class?"

Will paused. "Gym. I like sports." _Way to form an intelligent sentence. Get it together. _

Belle smiled. "That's cool. Are you on any teams at school?"

"No, I just play with friends for fun. What about you? What do you do outside of drama club?"

"I like to read." She replied. Will blinked. "I know, it sounds boring. But when you find a book you love, reading can be a lot of fun. Like I just finished this one book called _Stardust..."_ She started rambling about the book. Will listened intently. Her face lit up when she was talking; he found it adorable.

The conversation flowed more easily after that. The two sat at the booth long after their food was finished. It was almost closing when they left the diner, having been issued a warning to get home safe, courtesy of Granny.

* * *

Will walked Belle back to her door. "I had a great time tonight, Will."

"Me too." They stood there for a moment. Somehow Belle's hand found its way to Will's. His heart started beating faster. He hoped his hands weren't sweaty or anything. Belle looked into his eyes with a small smile. Before he knew what happened, she pressed a quick kiss to his lips. Will blinked. "Would you like to do this again some time?"

Belle giggled. "I'd love to." She opened the door. "Goodnight Will." The door shut.

Will stood there for a moment, not believing what had just happened. He came to his senses and broke into a grin, heading back to the car. When he took one last look at the house, Belle was looking out a window. He waved at her. She waved back. He was still smiling as he got home.


	8. Secret's Out

If someone had asked the Jones brothers who their mother's favorite child was, they'd both answer that without a doubt, it was Belle French. It didn't matter if she wasn't actually related to them, Belle was most definitely the favorite.

Moira Jones was putting the final touches on dinner. "Liam, can you set the table please?"

"Sure thing, Mom."

"Tell Killian to move his schoolwork!" There was a knock on the door. "Let yourselves in, you've been here enough," She shouted. Belle and her father walked in, carrying trays of cookies. "Moe, you didn't have to-"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous." He gave her a hug. "It's good to see you Moira."

"Hello, Mrs. Jones." Belle grinned as she hugged Mrs. Jones.

"Belle! Where have you been? I never see you anymore!"

The Jones brothers entered. "Told you Mom likes her best," Liam said to Killian.

"Well hello to you too," Belle said with an eye roll.

Moira looked at her sons. "Boys, where are your manners?"

"Mom, I see Belle at school every day," Killian complained. He received a look from his mother, so he put on a smile. "Belle! Mr. French! It's been too long" He shook hands with Mr. French. Belle just shook her head and hugged Liam.

"You guys are just in time. Dinner's pretty much ready," Moira told them.

"Do you need any help?" Belle asked. Moira shook her head and ushered them into the dining room.

Belle glanced around. Even though she hadn't lived there, it was home to her. There were memories everywhere. This was where she'd spent most of her time after school as a kid. She sat down on the couch next to her dad. He was looking at a picture frame from Halloween when she was six: Killian as Luke Skywalker, her as Princess Leia, and Liam as Han Solo. (She could remember the tantrum Killian had thrown when he didn't get to be Han.)

Liam looked over their shoulder. "Killian, you used to be so cute. What the hell happened?" Killian smacked his brother upside the head.

"Hey, can one of you boys help me out with this?" Moira's shout came from the kitchen.

Liam made a move to go, but Belle stood up. "I'll go"

"Smart move. Nobody should trust him with cooking anyway," joked Killian. Liam scowled. Belle shook her head as she went into the kitchen.

Moira chuckled. "You're not a boy." Belle nodded. Moira passed her some carrots and a cutting board. "Here, can you chop these up and add them to the salad?"

"Sure," Belle answered. She got to work.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something," Moira said as she worked. Belle looked at her, confused. "I was working a late shift at the hospital the other day, and during my break I went to this diner down the street that I know."

Belle figured out where she was going with her story. She winced. "Let me guess, Granny's?"

"You guessed it." Moira grinned. "So who was the boy?"

"Not so loud! I haven't told my dad yet," Belle whispered. Moira shot her a glance. Belle sighed. "His name is Will. He's in the show with Killian and me."

"Does Killian know?"

"I don't think so,"

"Good, because if he knew and didn't tell me, I'd be very hurt." Belle's face turned beet red. Moira chuckled. "I'm just kidding, dear. And for the record, he's pretty cute." She put an arm on Belle's shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't tell your dad or the boys. Your secret's safe with me." Belle nodded, grateful. They finished up the salad and went into the dining room.

* * *

A few days later, Killian and Belle were goofing off during a break at rehearsal. "Since we have some time, can I quickly go over the quartet with you guys?" Granny approached the actors sitting backstage. Killian nodded. Belle stood up. They went to the piano, where Will and Ariel were waiting.

As they sang, Killian noticed something about the way Belle and Will were behaving. Will kept making faces and she was giggling. She might have actually been blushing at one stage. They'd always gotten along, but this was a new development. When Will put an arm around Belle's shoulder, Killian finally put two and two together. They finished the song. Granny smiled and thanked them for their time. Killian watched out of the corner of his eye as Belle and Will walked away together, Will's arm still around her.

Ariel glanced at Killian, then at the retreating couple. "They together?" She asked.

"I guess." He responded, distracted. Ariel shrugged and walked away.

* * *

After rehearsal, Belle and Killian waited for Liam to pick them up. "Why didn't you tell me you and Will were dating?"

She looked at him, caught off guard. "Who told you?"

"It's not like you two were being subtle."

Belle blushed. "I was going to tell you, I promise. And we're not officially dating or anything. We just went out last week."

"Okay. But if he starts treating you badly-"

"Killian!"

"What?"

"I don't want you meddling with this, okay?"

"I make no promises, but I'll try," Killian promised. "And Belle?"

"Yes?"

"Are you happy?" Belle nodded. Killian smiled. "Then I'm happy for you."


	9. Emma's Concerns

**Hi everyone! Hope everybody's doing well. Sorry it's been a while since I updated. **

**P.S. Has anyone been watching season 6 so far? I love all the Killian and Belle stuff going on (and Captain Swan, of course)**

Emma was doing homework in her room when there was a knock on her door. "Emma, can I talk to you?" Mrs. Nolan came in. Emma nodded. She cleared space on the bed for Mrs. Nolan to sit.

"What's up? Is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine. I just have some news to share with you." She put a hand on her stomach. "I'm pregnant."

Emma's eyes widened. "What?" Mrs. Nolan smiled. "Congratulations!" She leaned over to hug her foster mother.

"Thank you. Dave and I are really excited about this"

Mr. Nolan stuck his head in the door. "Did you tell her?" He was grinning.

"Congrats," Emma said with a smile.

"Do you have a lot of homework tonight? We want to go out to celebrate"

"No I'm almost done,"

Mrs. Nolan stood up. "Then we'll leave you to it. We can go out when you're done."

"Okay. I'm really happy for you guys," Emma told them. The Nolans left Emma to finish her homework. She sat there thinking about what had just happened. There was a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her foster parents were having a baby. Once the baby was born, they wouldn't want her anymore. It was just like when she was little: the family had their own kid and wouldn't want her anymore. They'd kick her out because they had something new, something that was theirs. That's all she ever was: someone's second choice. Why would they want some random teenager if they had their own baby to take care of? A part of her knew that wasn't true. If the Nolans wanted to get rid of her, they would have already. But Emma hadn't had many people in her life who cared about her, so she had a tendency to believe the worst in people.

"Well, there's nothing I can do now," Emma muttered to herself. She took a deep breath and tried to focus on her homework.

* * *

"You're early," Elsa observed as Emma came through the door. "Crew has the stage for another half hour."

"Really? Damn." Emma looked at the schedule on the wall. "Well, since I'm here, do you need any help?"

Elsa smiled. "Grab a brush. I'm working on your house." The two got to work, Emma trying to paint as well as her friend. "So how are rehearsals going?"

Emma snorted. "You should know you go to most of them."

"But I'm not paying attention to you; I'm doing tech stuff."

"We sing, we dance, we fight with our castmates. What else is there to know?" Emma answered. Elsa laughed.

"Hey, Elsa? Where do you want this stuff?" A girl carrying large boards asked.

"Over by August. Do you need help with those?"

"I can manage." The girl walked away.

Emma chuckled. "Mulan never fails to impress me."

"Seriously, she's the strongest person here. Don't tell the boys," Elsa commented. She glanced at Emma; she had seemed off the past couple days. She was worried, but didn't want to push Emma. "Do you think the show's going well?"

"I guess,"

"Killian not giving you too much trouble?"

"Not anymore than usual," Emma grumbled.

Elsa put her brush down. Emma not taking an opportunity to complain about Killian? Something must really be wrong. "Ok, what's going on?"

"Nothing"

"Emma, talk to me. Something's wrong."

"Mary Margaret's pregnant,"

Elsa blinked. All of a sudden Emma's behavior started making sense. "And you're worried they won't want you anymore."

Emma nodded. "And I'm happy for them, really. I know they've been trying for a while. But what if they kick me out?"

Elsa put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "No one's kicking you out. The Nolans love you; you know that. They're not just going to send you away. And even if they do, you won't be out on the streets."

"Yes I will."

"No, you won't. Even if they do kick you out, which they won't, you can come live with me. Okay?"

"Your parents wouldn't-"

"Yes they would. You've got people looking out for you here. Don't forget that."

"Okay," Emma took a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Emma, you have nothing to apologize for. You're scared. It's okay." Elsa gave her friend a reassuring hug. They turned back to the set. "But I've gotta ask, how do you know they've been trying to get pregnant?"

"I got home from rehearsal early one day while they were, you know"

Elsa's eyes widened. "No way," she started giggling.

"Not funny!"

"We've all been there, Ems. At least you weren't 10 like Anna was."

Now it was Emma's turn to be shocked. "She was 10?"

"Not a good day in our house. I think that's why they let her get a cat." Elsa laughed. "Now go wash your hands. The rest of the cast will be here in five minutes."

"All right. Thanks Elsa." Emma smiled in gratitude.

"Anytime," Elsa replied. Emma got up and started walking away. There was still a part of her that was worried, but she knew that she had people who would be there for her.


	10. The Dressing Room

The entire auditorium had gone silent, save for two voices. Emma and Killian were having it out onstage. It was their loudest fight yet. The tech crew had backed into the wings. One of them snuck away to get Ruby.

Emma's head whipped around to look at Killian. "Me? You're the one who's been antagonizing me this entire show! You've been behaving like an arrogant prick!"

"How do you expect me to behave, hmm? No matter what I do you have a problem with me! You're impossible!" Killian shouted at her. He was sick of being blamed for everything that went wrong.

"You're the most obnoxious, conceited, awful person I've ever met!"

"Tell me, Swan, what the hell did I ever do to you? Why do you hate me so much?" He walked over to her.

"Because you strut around like you're God's gift to the world. You never take anything seriously, let alone treat anyone with respect. You get some sick enjoyment out of pushing people's buttons and I'm tired of you thinking you're so much better than the rest of us," She shouted. Killian stared at her angrily. "What?"

"Are you finished?" Emma nodded. "Good. Now it's my turn. Emma, you are one of the most uptight people I've ever met. You act like a bloody queen, and I'm the one who's arrogant? And I'm sorry if seeing others enjoy themselves makes you hate the world, but I won't allow you to make me feel guilty about the way I behave when I haven't done anything wrong." He stalked back to the other side of the room. Emma grabbed one of the water bottles and threw it at him. It flew past his ear. Killian turned around. "Real mature, Swan. Next time maybe you'll actually hit me."

She picked up another bottle. "Wanna bet?"

"That's it, you two," Ruby snapped. She grabbed hold of Emma and Killian's arms and brought them backstage. She led them to one of the dressing rooms. "Get in." They listened. "You two are staying in here until you sort out your problems. I don't care how long it takes. We'll run the whole show again without you if need be. Figure it out!" She slammed the door.

Killian immediately went to jiggle the handle. "It's locked. Damn." He noticed Emma was on her phone. "Swan, what are you doing?"

"Getting out of here." She put the phone to her ear. "Elsa?"

"Emma?" The stage manager's voice came in through the phone.

"Oh thank god. I'm locked in the dressing room. Can you come unlock it?"

"Sure, just give me a minute."

"Is that Emma?" Ruby's voice was heard in the background.

"Uh oh," Emma muttered.

"Yeah, she's locked in the dressing room," Elsa informed the director.

"I know. She's in there with Killian. They're in time out."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. They're not allowed to leave until they sort out their differences. So don't get any ideas about going over there and getting her out."

"Yes, Ruby," Elsa sighed. "I'm sorry Ems."

"Thanks anyway, Elsa. Bye." Emma hung up, then noticed Killian was on his phone.

"Belle, listen, could you please?- Yeah, I know, but- Come on- Belle? Belle?" He hung up. "Bloody girl won't listen. She thinks Ruby has the right idea. Says this'll be good for us."

Emma swore under her breath. "We're officially screwed." She slumped into a chair. She noticed Killian wandering the room. "What are you doing, Jones?"

Killian glanced around. "Just looking. I've never been in the girls' dressing room before. It's so clean."

"It's normally a lot messier than this, I promise."

"Smells a lot nicer than ours, though."

"We put in air fresheners," Emma explained. Killian shrugged and sat on the couch at the other side of the room.

"Oh." An awkward silence ensued. The pair sat there, avoiding eye contact, for what seemed like forever. "So what now?"

"I don't know. We have to 'work things out'."

"Or you could just apologize," Killian suggested.

"Not happening." Emma exhaled. "Ruby's just bluffing. Give it a little bit and she'll send someone to get us."

Killian's stomach rumbled. Emma turned to him. He shrugged. "Didn't eat breakfast."

"Killian, are you an idiot? We have a five hour rehearsal and you don't eat."

"In my defense, I thought we'd be having lunch. I wasn't expecting to get locked in the dressing room," He said tensely. Emma got up and went to one of the make-up tables. "What are you doing, Swan?"

Emma reached into a drawer. "Hungry people are cranky and I'm not staying in here with you being worse than usual. Elsa and I keep a snack stash in here. Would you like a protein bar or trail mix?"

"Protein bar, please." She tossed it to him, grabbing the trail mix for herself. "Thank you." They sat on the couch together. Killian tried to break the tension. "So what are those boxes over there?"

"Props for the show. Fake blood, rubber knives, et cetera. Elsa keeps them in here until tech week."

"I see." They ate their snacks in silence. "So why'd you start doing theater, Swan?"

Emma turned to him. "What?"

"Seeing as we're stuck in here for the forseeable future, we should at least make conversation."

Emma sighed. "Fine." She took a deep breath. "I started doing shows when I was in middle school. I was in a bad home at the time, and it was the easiest way to stay out of the house. They also fed us at rehearsal, which was a plus."

Killian blinked. He hadn't been expecting that. "I'm sorry, Swan."

"It's not your fault," she said with a shrug, "After things got better for me, I just kept doing this because I liked it." Emma shrugged. "How about you?"

"My brother, Liam. He was really into this as a kid. I wanted to be just like him. The second I was old enough, I was onstage. Now he's an English major in college, and I'm here."

"Oh," Emma said. She had never thought of Killian as the tagalong little brother type. Killian glanced over at her.

"Guess we don't know as much about each other as we thought we did, eh?"

"I guess not," She admitted.

"So, what else is there to know about you Swan?"

* * *

"_Rent_."

"_Chicago_."

"You'd be an excellent Velma, Swan. _Peter Pan."_

"Seriously? One of your dream shows is _Peter Pan? _As who?"

"Captain Hook, obviously. He has all the best numbers."

Emma shook her head. "You're ridiculous."

"I'm ridiculous?" Killian raised his eyebrows. "You don't like _Les Mis_! It's a masterpiece."

"It's pretentious." Emma shrugged. "Agree to disagree, I guess."

"There is a first time for everything." They both laughed.

"Hey Killian?"

"Yeah?"

Emma looked at her feet. "I'm sorry about the way I've been acting. It's been pretty awful."

"It's alright, love. I've not exactly been a gentleman myself." Killian stuck out his hand. "Truce?"

"Truce." They shook hands. "Do you think if we called Elsa, she'd let us out now?" Emma asked.

"Probably. We've been in here for-" He checked his watch, "two hours."

"Ok, I'll give her a call."

Killian grabbed her wrist. "Or…"

"Or?" Emma raised an eyebrow.

"We can have a little fun." Killian eyed the boxes by the wall, grinning mischievously.

Elsa's phone vibrated in her pocket. She put down her paintbrush. One message from Emma Swan. When she opened it, she realized it was a picture. Emma was lying on the dressing room, covered in fake blood. One of Killian's hands could be seen in the picture holding one of the rubber knives. Belle saw Elsa and came over. "Did you get something from Emma?" Elsa nodded. "Me too. Do you think we can let them out now?"

"Probably. They're using props without permission though. I have half a mind to leave them in there another hour."

"At least they're getting along." Belle smiled.

Ruby came over. "Any word from Emma and Killian?"

"Yeah. We can let them out," Elsa grunted. "But if I get stuck scrubbing that stuff off the floor, I swear to god-"

Ruby cut her off. "Let's just worry about getting them out first. Come on."


	11. Friends?

Killian and Emma were trying their best. Really they were. But after years of fighting, it wasn't going to happen overnight. On the bright side, the show was going more smoothly than ever.

One day, Killian and Emma were waiting for rehearsal when they heard something down the hall. Glancing at each other, they walked towards what sounded like a crowd. There they saw Henry, pressed up against a locker by one of the juniors. Some other kids were standing nearby, laughing.

Killian cleared his throat. Henry and the bully turned their heads. Emma started walking toward them. "What's going on here?"

"Move along little girl," the bully sneered.

"Honestly Gaston, don't you have anything better to do than beat up a freshman?" Killian said.

Emma turned her head. "You know this guy?"

"Yeah. He was harassing Belle all last year. If he wants to pick on somebody his own size, I am more than happy to volunteer."

"Get lost," Gaston said.

"Put the kid down or I'm getting the principal." Killian folded his arms.

"Make me"

Killian started to walk off, but Emma stopped him. She walked right up to Gaston and punched him in the stomach. He let go of Henry and grabbed his stomach. "Change your mind yet?" she glared at him.

"You bitch" Gaston managed to breathe out.

"Yeah yeah, get lost" Emma stared Gaston and his friends down until they walked away. She turned to Henry. "You okay, kid?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks" Henry said. Emma examined his face. There were some cuts on his forehead.

"Why the hell were they bothering you?" Emma asked.

Henry shrugged. "Wrong place at the wrong time, I guess." He winced when Emma touched the cut.

Killian cleared his throat. "It's almost time for rehearsal. We should get going."

"Ok. Come on Henry," Emma put an arm around Henry and started leading him back to the auditorium. Killian followed.

* * *

A few minutes later, they were sitting at the edge of the stage. Emma muttered something to Elsa, who ran into the wings. Killian watched her go with a raised eyebrow.

"She's getting the first aid kit," Emma explained. Elsa came back with the first aid kit and an ice pack. She knelt down and started looking at Henry's cuts. "Should we talk to the principal or something?"

"Probably. We should at least tell Ruby when she gets here," Killian answered. "Impressive punch by the way. Wish you were around when Belle was dealing with that prick."

"Well if he ever bothers her again, gimme a call" Emma said with a smirk. A grunt from Henry made them turn around. "How's it going over there Elsa?"

"I'm fine, calm down." Henry folded his arms.

Killian walked over and put a hand on Henry's shoulder. "We're just looking out for you. Why was Gaston hitting you anyway?"

"I dunno, he just got bored." Henry shrugged. He gave Emma and Killian a small smile. "Thanks for sticking up for me though,"

Killian returned the smile. "Anytime lad." He glanced over at Emma. They may not get along, but one thing was clear: they were on the same side when it came to protecting their friends.


End file.
